The 2025-26 National Basketball Association (NBA) sees the NBA Cup title game take place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada at 8:30 p.m. ET. The San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks square off for a banner, and the game can be viewed or streamed on Prime Video. We analyze Tuesday’s contests for the best bets. Let’s build our bankroll with our best NBA picks & predictions for Tuesday, December 16th.
Tuesday’s Best NBA Picks & Predictions
Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook | All bets are for 1 unit
San Antonio Spurs (+120) at New York Knicks (-142) | O/U 234.5 (-106/-114)
The Spurs (18-7) and Knicks (18-7) have identical records, and after this battle in Las Vegas, somebody is going home with an eighth loss, while somebody joins the hallowed halls of NBA Cup history, raising a banner, joining LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers in an exclusive club.
San Antonio surprised the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder 111-109 as a 10-point underdog, punching their ticket to the championship game. The Spurs have caught fire at the right time, winning five of the past six games outright, while going 4-2 against the spread (ATS), including three outright victories as an underdog. In fact, the Spurs are 7-2 SU and 6-3 ATS in the past nine games since Nov. 26, with five outright wins as an underdog.
As far as the total is concerned, the Under cashed in the 111-109 victory over OKC, although the Over is 3-1 in the past four games, while going 6-2 in the past eight outings.
In the win over the Thunder, four players scored 22 or more points. Victor Wembanyama (calf) returned from a long-term injury, pouring in 22 points with nine rebounds and two blocks in 21 minutes off the bench. Devin Vassell was good for 23 points with five boards, four assists and a steal with a block and four three-pointers. Stephon Castle and De’Aaron Fox also each had 22 points.
The Knicks racked up a high-scoring 132-120 win over the Orlando Magic on Saturday, winning and covering five in a row, while going 9-1 SU/ATS in the past 10 games, while the Under has a 7-3 advantage in that 10-game stretch.
Apparently, Jalen Brunson really wanted to stay in Vegas, as he did everything in his power to make the title game. He had 40 points on 16-of-27 from the field, while adding eight assists, four rebounds, and two triples, while Karl-Anthony Towns had 29 points and eight boards. OG Anunoby is healthy again, going for 40 minutes, and he finished 8-of-13 from the floor with 24 points. Mitchell Robinson blocked four shots, accounting for four of the seven shots for New York.
These teams met twice last season, with the Knicks winning 117-114 on Christmas Day, while the Spurs covered as an 8.5-point underdog. San Antonio has covered three in a row in the series, while going 5-1 ATS in the past six meetings. The Over has cashed in five of the past six outings, too.
The Knicks are red-hot, and the Spurs aren’t derailing this train. Additionally, let’s take the Under, as both teams show some nerves, as this championship actually means a lot to both sides.
Picks: Knicks -2.5 (-112) & Under 234.5 Points (-114)
